


The Holmes Clan

by ihavenotfallenyet



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 22:22:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2445269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihavenotfallenyet/pseuds/ihavenotfallenyet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the first thing I've tried writing something for Sherlock, and well Vero is the only OC of my own and I probably botched it...<br/>Anyway. Yeah.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Holmes Clan

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've tried writing something for Sherlock, and well Vero is the only OC of my own and I probably botched it...  
> Anyway. Yeah.

Veronica Aubrey was sleeping in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw common room, shivering lightly. Her roommates had refused to let her in, and she really hadn't wanted to disturb Severus or Rora. So Vero slept in front of the common room fire.  
Sherrinford Holmes slipped into the Ravenclaw common room, trying not to make a lot of noise. He glanced around, and frowned as he noticed a small girl asleep in front of the fire.  
"She should be in her dorm," he murmured to the empty room, silence the only response. Sherrinford walked over and picked her up easily, frowning down at the girl's pale face. He recognized her from his third year classes. She was very quiet, but excelled at her studies.  
"Why aren't you in bed, little one?" he asked softly, not expecting her to wake.  
Vero stirred lightly, feeling someone pick her up. In the state between wakefulness and sleep, she heard the rumble of a vaguely familiar baritone voice. She frowned and squirmed, feeling strong arms tighten around her as she did so.  
Ford swore softly and gently set Vero down on a couch, backing up a few steps. All teachers had been notified of the girl's condition, and Ford himself knew the dangers of frightening someone who'd been as abused as this little girl must've been.  
Vero woke up with a start, her eyes flashing gold a moment before settling back to grey.  
"Sev?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "'s that you?" She yawned softly, squinting to try to see into the dark.  
"Sorry to disappoint, little one. I'm not Severus," Ford replied, guessing that she meant the potions prodigy. She'd used a pet name. So she was familiar with Severus Snape, enough that she used- and he surely accepted- a pet name. Intriguing.  
Vero froze upon hearing the male speak. His voice was not the smooth gentleness of Severus, but a rumbling baritone instead, which held a note of hesitation. She stayed silent, fear slowly taking over.  
Noticing the tension Ford stepped forward, the big man kneeling down so he was eye level with the small girl.  
"Don't be scared, Miss Aubrey," he said softly. He grabbed his wand, softly casting Lumos so his face was illuminated. "See? I'm Professor Holmes, your DADA teacher."  
Before either could respond, a girl's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs.  
"Scaring the third years, Ford?" Cera Holmes asked, as she walked over, her gaze softening as she saw Vero.  
"Miss Aubrey was sleeping here on the floor," Ford explained. "I was worried, so I was making sure she was alright."  
Cera frowned, but, noticing the younger girl's uncomfortable look, shooed Ford away.  
"Ford, go do what you came to do," Cera ordered. Ford complied, giving Vero a smile as he disappeared up the stairs to the boy's dorms.  
Cera knelt in front of Vero, a soft smile on her face.  
"I'm Cera Holmes. I'm Ravenclaw's only female beater, and Professor Sherrinford Holmes' sister," she said, introducing herself. "What's your name? You're Severus' friend, right?"  
Vero hesitated before replying, "V-Veronica..."  
Giving the girl a gentle smile, Cera asked not the question that was foremost on her mind, but the second most one. "Are you okay, Veronica? Ford can be a bit intimidating."  
Vero nodded, mostly just to appease Cera. She seemed really nice and was worrying over whether her large brother had frightened her.  
Cera's smile dimmed ever so slightly as she realized the girl was lying. "Why were you sleeping out here, Vero?" she asked, frowning a bit in concern for the younger girl.  
"My roommates... Th-They didn't want me to st-stay in our room..."  
At the girl's response, Cera scowled, her blue eyes nearly black. She began to respond, to ask their names, when a small commotion came from the stairs Ford had disappeared up.  
"Let me go, Ford!" Sherlock exclaimed, wriggling as the large professor held him by the back of his hastily put on shirt. Cera snorted as she watched the curly haired Ravenclaw struggle against their brother.  
"Tea with the queen, Ford?" Cera asked, brows raised.  
"Yes," came the answer, causing Cera to roll her eyes.  
Another girl appeared, this time at the top of the steps leading to the boy's dorms.  
"Ford," she complained, "did you really need to drag him out of bed?"  
"You know Mycroft, Liz. He wants Sherlock immediately," Ford replied.  
Vero was surprised to see the Gryffindor girl from the other day there. The girl noticed her and warmly smiled at her, before turning to Ford. Cera smiled and gestured to Liz and Sherlock, letting the younger girl know they were together.  
"Sherlock, Liz, this is Veronica Aubrey," Cera said, catching their attention. Sherlock stopped struggling and peered at the small red haired girl, who looked back at them with an expression like a deer in headlights. Liz turned back to her and smiled again, reassuringly.  
"I'm Sherlock Holmes," Sherlock said, wriggling out of Ford's grip. He turned to address Cera, and asked, "Cera, why is she down here? She ought to be in her dorm room," he said, echoing what Ford had earlier said.  
"Sherlock, the girl is clearly uncomfortable. Leave her be," Liz said, walking down to the bottom of the stairs. "Hi again. My name's Liz," she said softly, casually smacking the back of Sherlock's head.  
As if on cue, the fire blazed green, and a slightly pudgy older man stepped out into the common room. Vero flinched as he did, hunching her shoulders so she was less noticeable.  
"I asked for Sherlock, Sherrinford, not everyone," the man said, his eyes scanning the group.  
"I know, Mycroft. Everyone kind of appeared," Ford replied, shrugging.  
"And who's this?" Mycroft asked, his eyes on the small girl on the couch.  
"She's Miss Veronica Aubrey, one of my best students," Ford replied easily, giving the girl a big grin. "She was sleeping on the floor, and I thought she'd be a perfect addition to the family. Mummy would love her, and she so readily accepted Selina after what happened with her..."  
Mycroft's eyes passed over the girl, examining her. "She has a-"  
Ford and literally everyone else in the room cut him off with fierce glares. "I'll handle it," Ford said, but Vero didn't hear him. Couldn't, over the roar of blood rushing. She closed her eyes, her breathing getting faster and shallower, till she was hyperventilating, on the verge of a panic attack. Memories flooded her, suffocating her, as she relived all the pain the bite had caused her, and the pain she herself had caused due to it.  
Cera wrapped her arms around the tiny girl, shooting Mycroft a harsh glare over her shoulder. The older man had the decency to look apologetic, seeing how the little girl had reacted. Vero fought Cera's grasp, tears streaming down her pale face.  
"Vero," Cera said, "it's okay, Mycroft didn't mean to make you cry, you're safe with me, it's okay..." Cera murmured reassurances to her, soothing her until the younger girl quieted. Vero slumped against Cera, exhausted, tears still falling. She hid her face from everyone, her thin body trembling in Cera's protective embrace.  
Mycroft sighed and looked to Ford. "I'm sure Mummy would love her," he said finally, earning a smile from the large man.  
"Then it's settled. Mycroft, draw up the adoption papers-" Ford was cut off by an annoyed sigh, and both he and Mycroft looked Cera, who was the source of the interruption.  
"Have you thought to ask her, Sherrinford? We don't know everything. Have you ever thought that perhaps she wouldn't want to be adopted by us?" Cera asked, still holding Vero gently. The younger girl had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, and Cera kept her voice soft, so as not to wake her.  
Mycroft sighed again, wearing an exasperated expression. "This will have to wait until morning," he said. "Sherlock, come with me." The two brothers stepped into the fire and left. Liz sighed and went back to Sherlock's bed, muttering goodnights to everyone.  
"What are you planning to do with her, Cera?" Ford asked. "I can take her to my quarters, let her sleep in my room. I've got a decent couch I can sleep on," he offered.  
Cera thought about it, then nodded, scooping up Vero. Ford came over and she was transferred to his arms. "Be gentle with her, Ford. She's shaken up," Cera warned, earning a nod from her brother.  
"Of course, Cera. Good night." With that, the two siblings parted ways, both off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> So um. Here it is. Comment or leave kudos if you liked it. Please be gentle...


End file.
